Andrew Liszewski

The whole 3D thing wasn't quite a success when it came to convincing people to come back to theaters instead of just downloading movies at home. But you know what they say—if at first you don't succeed, try adding a rumble feature to theater seats.

A company called Tremor FX has designed a new kind of theater seating with built-in actuators creating vibration and rumble sensations that coincide with the action on screen. In fact, unlike other enhanced theater seats which have to be specially programmed to react to a movie, the Tremor FX seats simply respond to the film's soundtrack. So during a loud action sequence, your chair will really come to life.

The system is also easier for theater owners to install. The Tremor FX chairs are the same size as regular theater chairs, so seating capacity isn't diminished. And the control hardware, which is no bigger than a tower PC, can easily squeeze into existing projection rooms. On the plus side it doesn't require the audience to don special glasses, but on the other there's the definite possibility that it could give theater owners another excuse to boost ticket prices to cover the costs. And in the same way the 3D effect gets tiring after a while, I imagine sitting through a lengthy adventure like The Lord of the Rings could take its toll on your derriere. [Tremor FX]